Chapter Thirty-Six

I didn't see Austin that night, I was worried until I heard him walking through the door in the early hours of the morning. I got ready for the day with Roman sat on the bed watching me, he was asking me questions about Jacob and the things I've had to do. I told him some parts while keeping others to myself, I knew Jacob would probably want to keep some parts between us for the time being. Once I was ready, we both leave the bedroom and head towards the main part of the apartment, where sat in the living room was Austin. As we walk in, he turns to look at us, I send him a tiny smile before looking over at Roman. Him and Roman haven't been in the same room as each other since he found out what has been happening, just from this morning he doesn't seem to be too annoyed anymore. Roman and Austin soon make eye contact, but for the first time, Austin doesn't seem to be the one starting a conversation. 'Alright, I just want to say I don't have anything against you man, I understand why you did what you did" Roman says after a few moments of the room being silent, I was shocked Roman actually broke the ice and spoke, normally someone has to make the first step then he'll break down his walls. 'I'm sorry man, when I accepted the job with Markus, I had no idea that it would lead us here" Austin says pointing around at the three of us, let's be honest none of us thought we'd be in this situation ever! 'But until this all blows over, Payton and I will need to continue acting like a couple" he says breaking the news to Roman, I think we all knew this, even though Roman is back, things can't get back to the way they used to be. I look over at Roman to see how he would be taking the news; annoyance was clearly on his face at Austin's comment. But before he could give his opinion, two loud knocks erupt from the front door causing all of our eyes to snap over. Austin quicky goes to the window to look outside, once he turns, I knew who was standing there without him even needing to utter a word. 'It's Markus" he says walking away from the kitchen window to stand near us, I once again turn to Roman knowing full well that he couldn't be in the room when we were talking with Markus, I don't even want to imagine how that man would take it. 'Roman, you're going to have to hide in Austin's room" I whisper over to him as Austin moves to the front door but turns to look at us waiting for it to be clear for him to open it. Roman nods his head before walking past me and into Austin's room, I take a deep breath in whilst taking a seat on the sofa as Austin opens up the door to reveal Markus standing there. He doesn't wait for Austin telling him he can come in; he just pushes his way into the apartment just as Roman slowly closes Austin's door without Markus noticing. 'How are my two-favourite people?" Markus asks happily walking into the living room, in all the times that I have been around that man, I have never seen him this happy, I wonder what master plan just turned out for him? 'When I was pulling in, I noticed another car parked in your guy's parking space, who is it?" he asks pointing outside where my heart sunk a little, how are we supposed to explain away Roman being here without him getting suspicious? 'Oh, that's our roommate, he just got back from a work trip where he's still asleep now" Austin smiles covering it up, but let's be honest, what he's saying is actually true, Roman is our roommate, Markus looks at Austin closed bedroom door for a second saying good for him. 'So, what can we do for you Markus?" Austin asks to move the conversation away from Roman, we didn't need him asking too many questions and start putting two and two together. 'I just popped in to see how you two are, the last time I saw you was at that meet up and we all know how dramatically that ended" he says looking between us both, inside I was glad he didn't say what actually happened at the end, I don't need my real boyfriend finding out my fake boyfriend, who has some deep feelings for me snogged the face off of me at the end! 'Yeah, we're good here as always" Austin smiles answering the question as Markus turns around and looks directly at me, which only makes intense fear take over my body, this always happens when Markus looks at me. 'Have you seen your friend from the restaurant recently?" he asks with a little smile, I was a little confused on what he meant at first, but I soon remember the phone conversation Jacob and I had the other day about Brooke. 'Not since work, why?" I ask trying to make it seem like I didn't already know the answer to my own question, I hoped he would be able to give me the tiniest clue on where Brooke could be so I can tell Jacob. 'Oh no reason really, I just found her quite hot when I saw her at the restaurant, she wasn't there when I went back to get her number" he says which I knew was another of his lies, but I couldn't openly tell him that. 'I'll have to give her a call later and I'll let you know" I say putting a fake smile on my lips as I went, his question alone only making me even worried about Brooke's safety with every moment that passes. 'Well anyway, I better get going to get back to my own work, I'll see you two around" he says as his face flashes panic for a split second, but he soon replaces it with a smile, within a second he was out of the front door closing it behind him, well he left in a rush! Once the door was closed, I stand up from my chair to pull my phone out, I needed to get a hold of Brooke, so I know she's safe and isn't dead in a ditch somewhere. But it went straight to voicemail just as Roman leaves the bedroom, my fear only getting higher on the scale of how scared I actually was. Roman walks straight over to me taking my arm, I look up slightly in a little panic as I spot Austin sending mini daggers to Roman's face. 'I need to make a call" I say clicking on Jacob's name, Roman looks down at my phone understanding who I was about to talk to and allows me to walk into our bedroom, while he and Austin remain in the living room. I close the bedroom door as the phone begins to ring, I take a seat on the bed just staring at the wall the thought of Brooke being hurt somewhere fills my head. Markus heard what she was telling me back at the restaurant, I knew he wouldn't like it. After two more rings Jacobs voice finally comes through the phone. 'We need to meet ASAP" I tell him point blank; I wasn't beating around the bush when I think one of my closet friends could be laying in a ditch somewhere hurt! 'Woah this sounds serious, I'll pick you up from your place in around two minutes" he says understanding from my tone that something wasn't right, he soon hangs up the phone which makes me jump into action. I round my things up before walking back into the living room, where Austin and Roman were still stood in the same place. Austin looking over at me a little worried, I mean I did just run out of the room quite dramatically to make that phone call! 'I'm just gong out to meet a friend" I say whilst slipping my coat on, I didn't have time to come up with an elaborate excuse right now, all I could think about was getting down to Jacob without anyone noticing. 'You are, isn't that really out of the blue is everything okay?" Austin asks sounding a little worried as slip my phone into my pocket, I was about to tell him everything was fine until Roman speaks before I got the chance. 'Payton told me about her meeting that friend earlier, so you don't need to worry Austin, leave that up to her boyfriend" he says looking directly at Austin as he spoke, we all knew that was a little dig at Austin for everything that has been going on. Austin looks at a little taken back at Roman's comment, he then turns to me sadness clear on his face. I send him a slight smile to let him know it was okay, but my phone buzzing is what tells me Jacob was waiting downstairs. I knew I didn't have time to stand here and discus, so I walk over to Roman placing a kiss on his cheek before running over to the door. 'Bye!" I shout before closing the door and running towards the steps, whereas I reach the middle I spot Jacob's car sitting there waiting for me. I look around to make sure Markus wasn't about, before sprinting over to Jacob's car and climbing in. He wastes no time pulling us out of the carpark and away, neither of us wanting to get caught by Markus or anyone connected to him. 'I'm sorry I called you out of the blue even though you could have been busy, but Markus just came to the apartment where he asked me things about Brooke, and don't even get me started on how quick we had to hide Roman who came back out of the blue!" I say out of breath from all the running I just did but I also needed to get all of this off my chest, Jacob looks at me with a smile to let me know it was okay. 'Roman told me last night that Brooke rang him the day Markus visited me at the restaurant, where she told him about the attack and how worried she was for my safety. But thankfully, I don't feel like Markus knows it's really me and Roman that are together and not me and Austin" I tell him finally getting everything out in the open so I could sit back, I look over at Jacob who was still there sending me a smile. 'Things will start working themselves out Payton" he tells me with a little smile, I knew he want talking about the whole Markus situation, but my Austin and Roman situation, I send him a little smile and a nod before looking ahead at the road. In no time, we begin to pull up at this huge warehouse place, from the outside it looked to be abandoned. Why would Jacob be taking me here? I look over at him sending him a really confused face, which only makes him laugh as he parks the car. 'You'll see soon" he laughs turning the car off and climbing out, this only makes me more confused as I unclip my seatbelt and follow him into the warehouse building. This is where I would learn that this Markus operation, was much bigger than I could have ever expected.